Adams looking forward to representing Wayland in 2014

PLAINVIEW – Admittedly, Nicole Adams is what she said some people might consider a little different.

“I’m probably more of what people call weird,” she said.

It is, however, her unique perspective and total acceptance of who God created her to be that fuels her passion and makes her the perfect choice to wear the Miss Wayland crown in 2014.

Adams competed with nine other college co-eds on Nov. 9 in Harral Auditorium for the right to wear the Miss Wayland crown. When the final name was called, it was Adams who stood alone.

“Weird” isn’t really the perfect description for Adams. Her personality is one that simply looks at things a little differently. She approaches life with a smile on her face, never trying to fit in, looking for the humor in her surroundings. It is a personality that she grew into once she moved beyond the compulsion to fit in and past her insecurities about being around the “popular people” of whom she held a stereotypical view.

“It seemed like everything about their life was perfect,” she said. “That is something I struggled with. I would ask God, why did you make me this way? Why do I have this type of personality? I wanted to be myself. Everything about me wanted to be who God created me to be. I just wasn’t confident enough to do that.”

Adams was born in Fort Worth and moved to Amarillo with her family when she was very young. From third grade through high school, aside from her freshman year when she attended Amarillo High, Adams went to school in Claude where her mother worked. Adams said she really had no desire to attend college after high school, but her parents, Tinia and Steve, were adamant that she continue with her education.

“I don’t like change. I was terrified of going to college,” Adams said. “My parents definitely were not OK with that. I had to go to college.”

Adams said her parents drug her to a college fair where they visited a number of booths, most of which didn’t impress the soon-to-be college freshman. Steve and Tinia both had backgrounds in psychology and social work. Adams found herself interested in the field of psychology, but she wanted to go to a private, faith-based school. That desire led her, or more specifically her dad, to Hardin-Simmons University.

“My dad fell in love with Hardin-Simmons,” she said. A visit to
the HSU campus, however, had Adams heading in the other direction. “It wasn’t where I needed to be. I couldn’t be myself. It was really quite terrifying.”

Adams said she used the experience to impress upon her parents that she didn’t need to go to college and she was happy staying at home. Her mother, however, had other plans. Tinia signed her daughter up for Big Weekend, a college preview weekend held each spring at Wayland.

“I wound up coming to Big Weekend. I wasn’t going to, but I did,” Adams said. “I walked into the dorm and wound up staying and fell in love. I fell in love with the people and the place and this became home.”

A junior, psychology major, Adams quickly fell in the love with her academics as well, embracing the field of psychology. She said one of her weird traits is being able to approach people and get them to talk when others might find the interaction uncomfortable. These skills, along with her love of people and getting to know them on a personal level has driven her passion for psychology.

“I’ve always been good at getting people to open up,” she said. “I wanted to use the basic skills God had given me to further His kingdom.”

Adams said it’s fascinated to look beyond the surface when dealing with people to learn more about their background and why they think in certain ways.

“In a way (psychology) teaches you to look at the big picture as opposed to what your eyes and your senses see at that moment,” she said.

While Tinia Adams played a major role in getting her daughter to Wayland, it was also her influence that prompted Nicole to compete for Miss Wayland. Nicole said her mother loved the idea and all the preparation that it entails.

“I wanted something to be able to relate with to my mom,” Adams said. “I saw that Miss Wayland was a way to do that. It gave us something to talk about. Whether we were arguing about which outfit to wear or talking about my talent, it gave us something to engage over.”

While winning the title was definitely a bonus, Adams said the relationships she built with the other contestants and the overall experience was well worth the time and effort it took to prepare for the competition. Now, however, she is embracing the responsibilities that come with being Miss Wayland and will use the position to promote the school. Whether she is speaking about her passions, such as the Diakonia project, a backpack project that provides food for elementary school students each weekend, or promoting the university to prospective students, Adams said she can’t wait for the opportunities.

Adams said she is also excited about whatever doors God may open for her. She hopes to one day work with families and churches on connecting generationally and closing those communication gaps that grow between parents and children. She knows this will include additional education however, and is already making plans to work toward a double master’s degree in family ministry and family counseling -- a degree she plans to pursue at Hardin-Simmons.

“But only the Lord knows,” she said. “He can change that at any moment.”